This invention relates to the drainage of body fluids from a closed wound.
The draining of fluid from a closed wound, particularly after surgery, is beneficial as it promotes healing and removes a build-up of fluid which would other otherwise remain in the body and which would increase the chances of infection.
Various drainage systems have been proposed most of which operate through the use of a partial vacuum in order to promote the drainage of fluids. These drainage systems are usually in the form of compressive containers, electric vacuum machines or pre-charged disposable containers.
Although these systems all drain fluid, they have varying degrees of efficacy and the manufacturing cost thereof can often be high. In some devices, a vacuum is not always constantly applied and a user must constantly check and re-adjust the device to ensure that the fluid is being drained effectively. Typically, the vacuum level is higher at the start of a working cycle of a device and lower at the end of the working cycle. This variation affects the fluid drainage rate. Some devices are also specific to the volume of fluid to be drained and it is often not possible to adjust this volume easily to suit a particular patient's needs.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid drainage device, suited for use with a closed wound drainage system, which is cost effective to manufacture and which at least partially addresses the aforementioned issues.